Stamping 411’s Saturday Sketch Challenge this week was just perfect for the little turkey at the back of Stampin’ Up’s Holiday Mini Catalog. I can’t believe I hadn’t even used him yet! As soon as I saw the diamond on the card, I knew that the little gobbler would fit perfectly. Here’s the sketch:

One of the things I so appreciate about the Stamping 411 sketches is that they include suggested sizes for the various layers. It makes it so easy to follow the sketch and put together a fantastic card. Here is what I came up with:

I am honored to be a part of Operation Write Home‘s Veteran’s Day Blog Hop. Operation Write Home is a fabulous organization. They are a group of crafters from across America (and beyond!) who make handmade cards for deployed heroes so they can keep in touch with their loved ones at home! They serve all branches of the military in all deployed locations, including those stationed aboard ships. Please visit their home page for more information on supporting this wonderful cause.

As part of the blog hop, I will be showing you two cards today. The first is an “Any Hero” card. It is a thank you card that will be going to one of our service men or women, in appreciation of the sacrifices they are making for our country. I wanted to make a patriotic card, but since Eve was writing the message for the inside, I chose a design that reflected that. It is both patriotic and kid-like. (The great shape at the top is made by turning the Top Note die cut 90° and running it through the Big Shot a second time.)

The second card I have to share with you today is one of the blank Valentines that will be sent to the troops. so they have Valentines to send home to their loved ones. It may seem early for Valentines, but when you figure shipping time abroad and back, it’s not too early. I wanted to make something that was not “lumpy,” so it would be easy to mail, as well as something that would be appropriate for a man or women. This is what I came up with:

This is the third card that I made for the Stampin’ Addicts 3″x3″ holiday card swap. I changed the Designer Series Paper on it the same way I had on this Hanukkah card, by brayering Bashful Blue ink over the Night of Navy Designer Series Paper. I love doing this! It really changes the feel of the card, by eliminating the stark white on the DSP and allowing the focal image to show.

In direct contrast with yesterday’s elegant 3″x3″ Hanukkah card, today’s is a much more whimsical look. I used non-traditional colors to accent the funky nature of the candles on this card. It is another one I made for the Stampin’ Addicts Holiday 3″x3″ card swap. It also is a perfect fit for this week’s Pals Paper Arts theme challenge.

Today is Veterans’ Day, and I want to start out with a big thank you to all of the men and women who are serving or have served our country in the Armed Forces. Thank you for giving so much of yourselves. In celebration of this, I will be participating in Operation Write Home’s Veteran’s Day Blog Hop. It starts this Saturday, November 14th. Yes, Veteran’s Day is today, but the organizers want to give everyone plenty of time to visit the 100+ blogs that will be participating. Be sure to stop back on Saturday and check out the hop!

The card I have to share with you today is from a 3″x3″ Holiday Card swap that I recently participated in on Stampin’ Addicts. I was in four groups for this swap, so you’ll be seeing some more of these cards. I really like the 3″x3″ format. You can mail it in a regular size envelope for no extra charge, or use it as a gift card on a package. It is small enough to slip into a lunch box, but large enough to provide a canvas for some great art work. I was really pleased with how well Gold Embossing Powder showed the details of this stamp. It lends a more elegant look to this whimsical stamp.

Wow! Today is the 40th Anniversary of Sesame Street. It is amazing to me to think that it has been around for almost my entire life — I was 1 month old when it started! I grew up watching it, I watched it as a babysitter, and finally watched it with Eve as a toddler. One of my most vivid Sesame Street memories was when Snuffleupagus became visible to the grown-ups on the show. What’s yours?

In celebration of the 40th anniversary, I created this punch art card of Sesame characters. I don’t know who came up with it first, there are a lot of versions out there! I was inspired by Sarah Wills version. This card is a 5″ square.